Ryan Furlet South County’s K-9 Guru

There is something powerful about true, deep calm. The spread of quiet. Perhaps the draw of it is why so many seek the peace of the woods, the white noise of the ocean, the exquisite contentment a great yoga class can bring. People are drawn to it, animals can’t get enough of it. Ryan Furlet is the possessor of a powerful calm. With the laid back aesthetic of a Bob Marley fan and the grace of a Zen master, Ryan is perhaps the gentlest soul I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. And what’s even more important than my first impression was that of our family dog Bella.

I have never seen anyone elicit such a serene demeanor out of our otherwise rambunctious labrador retriever pup than Ryan did when we signed on for a Life Center Evaluation, and then a Private Life Center Session. But what sold me on Ryan’s unique abilities was watching him train Charlotte, the six-month-old golden retriever belonging to the owner of the jiu jitsu dojo my kids attend. In front of the dojo, while class was in session. Which means 20-some-odd children were actively sparring just on the other side of floor to ceiling windows while their parents are lined up outside chatting and watching their kiddos work - all of which should have been a major distraction for the pup and an increased challenge for the trainer.

Ryan, who had brought along his own five dogs in order to train Charlotte with the aid of his “pack.” As the pack leader, Ryan put his own pups into “down stay” at one end of the walkway, then sat with Charlotte 15 feet away, murmuring instructions to her. Amidst all the activity and noise, his dogs watched Ryan intently, awaiting his next command. He quietly called each over, one at a time to join he and Charlotte while the remaining dogs held position until it was their turn. Suffice it to say the other parents and I were slack jawed as we watched him work.

From that day forward, the other moms and I referred to Ryan as the “dog whisperer,” which it turns out is an apt moniker as Ryan occasionally assists Cesar Milan as one of his trainers. Ryan truly is a K-9 guru. And he is looking for new pups to join the pack.

“Here at the Life Center, we understand that just as parents may differ in their method of directing their children,” Ryan notes, “so do our pet parents with their K-9 companions.” Their mission is to provide the healing and rehabilitative process needed to improve on the standing expectations between pets and their parents. What is actually reasonable to want from one’s pet? What can your pet expect from you? Ryan is a firm believer that creating better pet behaviors makes a happier home life. Now expanding his services to include nearly the entire South Orange County area, from Aliso Viejo to Laguna Beach, the K-9 guru is literally willing to go the extra mile to help you and your canine compadre reach the powerful center of true, deep calm.

Offering one or two hour private Life Center sessions, group classes, or two or three-hour private sessions at your home, each pet and parent will “move forward from their own foundation, tap into a required understanding, and create positive energy.” Home sessions are built around the balance of communication between pet and parent, and maximizes the training experience by allowing the trainer the insight into the way parents nurture, and pets respond.

And boy, do pets respond. Not many people can take over 10 dogs to the park, off leash, and put just one into stay and walk away with the rest of the pack and have the dog patiently wait until called. Going out of town and want your pup to relax just as much as you are while on vacation? At the Life Center in San Clemente, Ryan will board and train your dog at the same time. Keeping Bella overnight the first time cemented our family’s belief in his methods - Bella came home a more well behaved, more calm canine. So much so, that we regularly leave Bella in Ryan’s care when our family travels.

From a wee pooch to those looking for more intermediate or advanced training options, no dog is too much for the deep well of calm that comes from someone as dedicated to their craft. With 5 rescue dogs of his own, it really is no wonder that Ryan has found himself as the guru of South Orange County when it comes to pups and their parents.

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South County Magazine is distributed to residents and businesses in San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills and Aliso Viejo via direct mail through the USPS and is available on high-foot traffic distribution and stand locations in the aforementioned communities.